THE DUBAI WORLD CUP - one of the biggest purses in horse racing!

The prestigious Dubai World Cup is happening this weekend. Even though most horse racing fans, at least North Americans, are all gaga about the Triple Crown Races, the rest of the world - wait for this day when Godolphin Racing and the beautiful country of Dubai puts on the greatest spectacle in horse racing with the Dubai World Cup.

The purses are absolutely outrageous which is why a lot of American trainers and jockeys make the trek to Dubai in order to run and ride in these races. The Americans do very well, actually, as nobody has ever beaten an American in the Dubai Golden Shaheen, the 6 furlong dirt sprint down a straight-a-way.

The Americans usually win the Dubai World Cup as well. Sure, Godolphin has had Street Sense and Dubai Millenium, but we Americans have had Silver Charm and Pleasantly Perfect and Roses in May. Last year the Dubai World Cup was won by a horse that America adopted - Invasor.

This year us Yanks have the BetUS 4 to 11 favorite in Curlin. Is there any way to beat Curlin? Actually, yes, but before we get to that race, I want to highlight two other races on the Dubai World Cup card that could provide huge profits for horseplayers and horse racing bettors.

UAE Derby - - 1 1/8 miles on dirt - - Purse $2,000,000

American horses do okay in this race. The problem is that the Southern Hemisphere horses, like Invasor back in 2006, are considered three-year olds but according to American breeding tradition are four-year olds. Strange, huh? Yes, it is confusing. I’m still trying to understand it myself. Suffice to say that Invasor lost this race - - as a Southern Hemisphere 3-year old - - but went to the United States and won the Breeders’ Cup Classic as a four-year old in the same year. Anyhow, I do like a somewhat long-shot in this race. His name is Massive Drama and he broke his maiden like a monster last year before having to take his game to the artificial surfaces in Southern California. He gets a chance to show his stuff on the dirt again. This guy is one fast puppy and look who’s on him? Garret Gomez, friends! The BetUS odds on Massive Drama right now are 10 to 1. Bet on Massive Drama.

Wager: Massive Drama at 10 to 1 odds.

Dubai Golden Shaheen - - 6 furlongs on the dirt - - Purse $2,000,000

It’s a good idea to always go American in this race. Godolphin got tired of losing so they bought an American horse, Diabolical, and then prepped him in two Grade IIIs. In the first one, Diabolical finished fourth. In the second prep Diabolical finished first. Diabolical ran 1:09 for the 6 furlongs in the second prep. His American form is actually really good. There’s a reason that he’s going off at odds of 3 to 1. The favorite is Benny the Bull who’s going off at odds of 3 to 2. Benny is a closer. This race is on a straight-a-way. Once a horse gets a lead, it’s awfully tough to run it down. I don’t like Benny but I don’t like Diabolical either. I’ve got another long-shot in this one. That horse is Esperamos. The odds on Esperamos right now are 33 to 1. That’s not a misprint. Why do we like Esperamos? Well, he has run 1:09 going six furlongs in his last two races. Both of the tracks he ran them at, Hawthorne and Oaklawn Park, are not known for providing incredibly fast times. Esperamos not only won both of those races but he won them easily by 9 and 7 lengths respectively. He’s also switching barns from McLean Robertson to fantastic Southern California trainer Wesley Ward. Oh, yeah, guess who his jockey is? Right! Garret Gomez! Take a swing!

Wager: Esperamos at 33 to 1 odds

Dubai World Cup - - 1 1/4 miles on dirt - - Purse $6,000,000

Curlin is a super-horse. There’s no doubt about it. I don’t know how he lost that Belmont to Rags to Riches, but he came back and throttled everybody in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He also beat down Lawyer Ron in the Jockey Gold Cup in his Breeders’ Cup prep. That makes him a very special horse, but 3 to 5 odds on a horse that doesn’t like to take the lead scares me in the Dubai World Cup. Closers don’t do well in this race. Curlin can stay close, but the odds just aren’t there for me to put money on him. He’s in a foreign country and even though he has had time to acclimate to things, this is only his second race of the year. He has an electric turn of foot, but man, that straight-a-way at Dubai is rough. You really have to keep your momentum in order to catch a quality horse. The quality horse I like in this year’s Dubai World Cup is also a very classy animal. Its name is Premium Tap and if the name sounds familiar then it should. Premium Tap finished second to Invasor in the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Classic. Then, he won the Grade I Clark Handicap. King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Sons bought him after that and brought him to Dubai. He ran in the 2007 Dubai World Cup and again finished second to Invasor. He’s a definite long-shot at BetUS odds of 16 to 1, but he’s got a much better post, number 6 as opposed to Curlin’s post 12. From post 6, Premium Tap should be able to lay close to the pace, heck, maybe even take the lead, and then win this thing. Okay, maybe should is a strong word, but stranger things have happened and this old-timer can put them away with a good trip. Our man Garret Gomez won’t be riding him, but that’s okay. Tap can still bring it home!

Wager: Premium Tap at 16 to 1 odds

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